Door check



June 8, 1943.

R, cs. Moons Doon cgmcx Filed lay 17. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N VENTO/e ynyonq 6.

Moore.

A TTORNEYS June 8, 1943. R. s. MOORE I 2,321,409

Doon CHECK 5 Filed lay 1v. 1937 2 spears-sneu z A TToR/VE ys'.

Patented rJune 8, 1943 in S PT Nr orgie (Cl. Iii-85) 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to motion limiting checks or stops, for controlling the swinging movement of a door relative to a door post or;

like members, and in particular provides improved devices of this character adapted to function both as checks or stops and as holding dev1ces.

Objects of the present invention are to provide improved devices of the above indicated character adapted to function both as checks or stops and as holding devices; to provide such devices which may be used in either exposed or concealed relation and with doors and door posts or like members of either metallic or other constructions; to provide such devices which effectually prevent rattling of the parts thereof in both the open or closed positions of the associated members; to provide such devices which resiliently cushion the final movements of the associated members, and resiliently retain the members in such final position and/or in intermediate positions; and to provide such devices which may be readily and economically manufactured and installed and which are durable and emcient in operation.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide a device of the above generally indicated character embodying a check member connected between a door and a door post or like members and adapted to permit relative movement therebetween, and also embodying a cushioning member co-operating with said check member to cushion such relative movement; to provide such a device in which the cushioning member and the check member are constructed and arranged to resiliently hold the door or. like member in a predetermined position; to provide such a device in which the cushioning member and the check member are constructed and arranged to cushion the inal opening movements of the door or like member and to hold the door or like member in its fully open position; to provide such a device in which the cushioning member and the check member are constructed and arranged to yieldingly hold the door or like member in any one of a plurality of intermediate open positions; to provide such a device for use between two relatively movable elements, in which the check member is connected to one of said elements, and the cushioning member is secured to the other of said elements; to provide such a device in which the cushioning member includes means to yieldingly grip the check member, and the check memberincludes one or morecam enlargements which cooperate with the cushioning member to reduce the speed of movement of the door or like members; toprovide such a construction in which the check member includes a cam enlargement over which theY cushioning member is caused to pass as the door. or like member approaches its opened position, and also includes additional cam enlargements over which the cushioning member is disposed to pass as the door or like member reaches its fully opened position, to provide a buer effect; to provide such a construction in which the check member is provided with an additional resilient element which cooperates with the rst mentioned cushioning member tocushion the movement of the door or like member; to provide such a device in which the cushioning member includes rubber blocks disposed to be compressed as the cushioning member is disposed to-pass over the cam enlargements on thel check member; and to provide such a device in which the cushioning member vincludes spring elementsr disposed to be compressed as the cushioning member passes over the cam enlargements.

With the above and other objects in view, which appear in the following description. and inthe appended claims, preferred but illustrative embodiments ofthe present invention arev shown in the accompanying drawings, throughout which corresponding reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a View in top planof one embodiment of the invention; the associated door and door post elements andthe cushioning member being shown in horizontal section Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section, takenalong the line 2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a View in elevation, taken along' the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is aview of the structure shown infFigs. 1, 2 and 3, but with the door in fully open' position; t

Fig. 5 isa view in vertical section of the cushioning member, taken along the line 5-'5A of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a View in vertical sectionzof a modified cushioning member; K

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view cfa` modified embodiment of the invention; K

Fig. 8 is a viewv in section, taken. along therline? S-BofiFg. 7; n. 'y1

Fig. 9 is Vaiview in elevation, taken alongthe line 9-'-9 'of Fig. 8; K Y f Fig. 10 isfa view inY door-open- 'position of a. modification-of the structure of Fig.`` '7j` Fig. 11 is a View in vertical section, taken along the line H-II of Fig.

Fig. 12 is a view in elevation, taken along the line l2-I2 of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a View in vertical section of a further modification of the present invention.

It will be appreciated, from a complete understanding of the invention, that it may be applied to a wide variety of uses, and may be embodied in widely differing forms. Accordingly, although the specific embodiments illustrated are particularly adapted for use as checking or holding devices for vehicle doors, it will be appreciated that the terms door and door post, as used throughout the following description, are, in a broad sense, merely illustrative of two relatively movable members with which the invention may be associated.

Referring rst to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, particularly to Fig. 1, the door check comprises generally a link 20 and a cushioning member 22, shown as arranged in concealed relation relative to a door 24 and a door post 26. As will be appreciated, the members 24a, 24h and 24C represent, respectively, the outer face, the inner face, and the abutting edge of the door. Similarly, the members 26a, 26h and 26e represent, respectively, the outer face, the inner face, and the abutting edge of the door post. The door 24 is hinged to the post 26 by a conventional hinge 28, one butt 28a of which is secured in any conventional way to the abutting edge 26e of the door post, and the other butt 28h of which is secured in a corresponding manner to the abutting edge 24b of the door.

In the embodiment now being described, the link 20 is formed of a single strip of material, preferably metal, suitably bent or folded upon itself to define the substantially linear abutting leg sections 20a., and the pairs of symmetrically arranged cam surfaces 20h, 20c, 20d, 20e, and 20j. Preferably and as illustrated, the surfaces 20h and 20c are of rather gradually sloping character and define between them a cam enlargement'which cooperates, as hereinafter described, with the cushioning member 22 to initially retard the final opening movement of the door 24. The surfaces 20d are rather sharply inclined and with the slightly inclined adjacent surfaces 20e constitute a second somewhat higher cam erilargement which cooperates, as hereinafter described, with the cushioning member 22 to at least partially absorb the iinal door opening movement. The surfaces 26j are preferably disposed substantially vertically, and act as a nal positive limit stop to the opening movement of the door.

The member 20 is angled or bent in the general plane of the width dimension of the legs 20a, as clearly appears in Fig. 1, and it will be appreciated that this bending, as well as the folding of the member 20 to introduce the above described cam surfaces may be effected by suitable stamping and die forming operations.

' The inner ends of the legs 20a pass through an opening 29 provided therefor in the edge 24e, and are received between the legs 30 of a bracket 32, the base 34 of which is suitably secured to the inner base of the abutting edge 26c of the door post 26. The edge 26e is suitably apertured as at 36, to accommodate the legs 30. A rivet 38, or other suitable element, such as a screw orstud, is passed through. the legs 3i! and through the members 26 in order to form a pivotal connection between these elements. n order to avoid rattling, a relatively snug t between the legs 30, the pin 38, and the members 20, is preferable.

The cushioning member 22 comprises generally a pair of telescopically related cup-like housing members 40 and 42, which may be and preferably are formed of metal stampings; a pair of similarly formed but oppositely directed resilient blocks 44 which may be and preferably are formed of rubber; and a pair of rollers 46. The cup-like member 42 is provided with tabs or tongues 48 on the opposite sides thereof which may be turned over the back of the cup-like member 40 in order to hold these members in assembled position prior to the assembly of the complete cushioning device 22 with the door 24. The bases of the housing members 40 and 42 are provided with apertures 4I and 43 to accommodate the link 20.

The rubber blocks 44 are formed to t relatively snugly within the chamber deiined by the members 40 and 42. The lateral sides of these blocks are linear, and the outer ends are arcuate, and so are complementary to the co-operating parts of the members 40 and v42. The inner and generally linear ends are arcuately grooved at 48, to thus form notches within which the rollers 46 are received. The free length dimensions of the blocks 44 are such that when assembled within the members 40 and 42, and with the rollers 46, they resiliently urge the rollers 46 into abutting contact with the legs 20a of the link 20. In this way, in all positions of the door 24, the member 20 is resiliently restrained against rattling, the degree of restraint being preferably suicient, in the embodiment now being described, to prevent rattling, but not to materially interfere with or resist opening and closing movements of the door.

The blocks 44 are each provided with key-hole type openings 50 adjacent their ends, to accommodate the studs 52, by which the resilient mem- -ber 22 is secured to the inner face of the door member 24e. These studs also pass through registering openings in the faces of the members 40 and 42, and are provided with nuts 54. The key-hole form is preferred in that the .enlarged portions 50a, provide clearances around the associated studs 52, to accommodate the compression of the blocks. At the same time, by restricting the width of the slot portions 50h, an increased bearing area along the regions 50c is provided, which increased bearing area tends to prevent'a binding of the blocks 44 upon the ends of the housing members 40 and 42.

It is noted that the surfaces 20h, 20c, 20d, 201 are so positioned'transversely of the member 2l) that in each of the nal open positions of the door, these surfaces lie substantially parallel to the rolls 46 and are engaged thereby substantially throughout the length of these rolls. With this arrangement, any tendency of the rolls 44 to cock within the member 22 is avoided.

Asto operation, the parts are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in the closed position of the door, in which position substantially all of the link 20 projects within the door 22 and in which the' position, as above noted, the link `20 is prevented from rattling by the resilient binding effect of the rollers 46 thereon asinfluenced by .the compressed rubber blocks 44. Similarly,`any tendency of the link 20 to move in the plane of the paper, as viewed in Fig. 1, and engage eitherof the walls 4Ia of the opening 4| orthe correspondingl walls of the opening 43, is effectivelyiovercome .by the friction between the rolls 46-andl the link 26.

If the door is opened, the parts approach the relative position shown in Figs. 4 andy 5. During this opening movement, the rolls 46 move along the surfaces of the legs 20a, either with a sliding movement, a rolling movement, or a combination of the two, dependent upon the relative friction between the surfaces of the rolls and the legs 20a and that between the surfaces of the rolls and the face of the rubber blocks. In general, it may be expected that the latter friction will be the greater of the two, so that no substantial rotation of the roll is to be expected. In certain instances, however, it may be expected that thev rolls will encounter an obstruction on the legs 26a which will give a momentary rotation to the rolls, permitting the rolls to ride over any such obstruction. i

As the parts approach the position shown in Figs, 4-and 5, the rolls 46 encounter the sloping surfacesV 26h and continued movement cams these rolls in a vertical direction as viewed in Fig. 5. This camming action causes the blocks 44 to be compressed, and the resistance of thesev blocks to this compression results in an increase 4in the forces resisting the opening movement of the door. If the opening movement of the door is a relatively free swinging movement, it may be expected that tlis increase in resisting force will be sufficient to bring the door to rest before the rolls pass over the first cam enlargement. The effect of the initial cam enlargement may, of course, be varied by altering the slopes of the various cam surfaces and the degree of initial compression of the blocks 44. If the door opening movement is rather forceful, or if the speed of the movement of the door is relatively high, it may be expected that the surfaces 26h will function primarily to reduce the speed of the door, and that the rolls will pass over the rst cam enlargement into the normal open position illustrated in Fig. 5 in which they lie in the notch between the surfaces 20c and the surfaces 26d. 'Ihe door is resiliently retained in the normal open position, since further opening movement is resisted by the surfaces 26d, and a closing movement is resisted by the surfaces 20c. If an unusually high door opening force is applied, or if the door opening movement is extremely rapid, it may be expected that the rolls 46 will ride upwardly along the surfaces 2Gb and in certain cases, may finally reach the surfaces 20e, and finally be brought to rest by the positive stopping action of the substantially vertical portions 26j. In such case, due to the sloping character of the surfaces 20e, it may be expected that when the opening force is relieved, the rubber blocks will cause the rolls 46 to ride downwardly along the surfaces 26e' and ultimately reach the normal open position shown in Fig. 5.

In the modified embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6, the previously described rubber blocks 44 are replaced by pairs of springs 60, which are seated between bearing members 62 and the end walls 64 of the inner one of the two cup-like housing members 66 and 68. The housing members 66 and 68 correspond in all respects to the previously described housing member 46 and 42 with the exception that they are generally rectangular in shape to accommodate the pairs of springs. The springs 66 are retained in the just stated seated relation by lugs which may be struck inwardly from the wall 64, and by are illustratedfasbeing generally U-shaped, of

such'thickness that they fit relatively snugly but arrangement of Fig. 6 preferably duplicates the operation describedwith reference to the first embodiment, except as to the just mentioned rolling of members 16.

In'the modified embodiment of the inventionr shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the motion limiting or resisting function of the surfaces 20d, 20e and 201, as previously described, is performed by a supplemental resilient buffer member which may also be constructed of rubber. In this instance also, the member 82, which corresponds in all except the hereinafter noted respects to the previously described member 26, is formed of a single strip, having the cam enlargements defined by the surfaces 82a and 82D. The buffer isprovided with an axially extending slot to receive the member 82'. To hold the buffer 80 in place, the member 82 is split to define the two legs 82h, which are bent in respectively opposite directions, tothe positions shown in Figs. 8 and 9. A washer 84 or other bushing member may be andpreferably is interposed between the outer end of the buffer 86 and the portions B2b. Buffer 86 is so dimensioned, with reference to the position of the camenlargement that the cushioning member 22 slightly compresses the block 80'when the door is in the normal full open position shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In this positioning of the parts, accordingly, the blocks 44 urge the rolls 46 downwardly along the surfaces 82b and resiliently hold the door in the opened position. This downward urging of the blocks 44 also urges the inner face of the cushioning member 22 into resilient abutting engagement with the face of the buffer 80.

The details of the cushioning member 22 may be and preferably are as described with reference to the rst embodiment, and it will be appreciated that the co-operation between the rolls 46 and the faces 82a and 82h of the cam enlargement is also as described in connection with said first embodiment. It will also be appreciated that the connection between the member 82 and the door post may be and preferably is as described hereinbefore.

In the modified embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the integral strip 82 described with reference to Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is displaced by a pair `of strips 96 and 92, secured in back to back relation as by spot welding at a plurality of points 94 therealong. Each of these strips is stamped or otherwise formed to define the surfaces 60a and 90b, to thus provide a cam enlargement. In this instance, in order to secure the buffer block 80. in place on the strip 96, the extremities 96e of the legs 96 are oppositely bent as shown in Fig. 12. In this embodiment also, one of the cup-like housing members of the cushioning member 22 is formed to provide the bosses- 12, which are formed onV the associated"y bearing members 62. The bearingY members-62 other respects, the construction and operation of the embodiment of Figs. 10, 11 and 12 preferably duplicates that described above with reference to Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

In the embodiments of the invention thus far described, the cushioning members are preferably so adjusted as to effectively overcome any tendency of the associated check members to rattle, but are not intended to have a sufficient drag upon the door to materially interfere with opening and closing movements of the door. With this adjustment, the devices function primarily to stop the door at its final open position and to resiliently retain it in such nal open position. Alternatively, the cushioning members my be so adjusted as to impose a material drag on the associated check members, and when Vso adjusted, the devices are effective to resiliently hold the door in any partially orrcompletely open position to which it may be moved. With this adjustment of the cushioning member, it is preferred to omit the previously described cam enlargements formed by the surfaces 20h and 20c, 82a and B2b, and 90a and 90b, which relation is illustrated in the embodiment of Fig. 13. With the arrangement of Fig. 13, a uniform resistance to a door opening and closing movement is encountered throughout all partially open positions, and the cushioning member 22 and the buffer block 8l)y cooperate to provide a resilient iinal limit stop to the door movement. Fig. 13 also illustrates the adaptability to the present invention of members 96 of substantially D-shape rather than the circular` roll form previously described. The sides 96a of the members 96 are preferably linear throughout a substantial length so as to provide a positive bearing against the sides of the cushioning member 22, to prevent cocking of these members, and the inner faces thereof are arcuate, so as to permit these members to be forced vertically and to ride over any irregularities which they may encounter in the surface of the co-operating members 90. ItY Will be appreciated that the D-shape members 96 may, if desired, be utilized in the previously described embodiments.

The foregoing specific embodiments of the invention are to be considered as illustrative and not in a limiting sense, and what is claimed is:

1. A door check comprising a rigid bracket and a member movablerelative' thereto through an opening therein, a pair of rollers rotatably mounted in said bracket, resilient means urging respective rollers into contact with opposite sides of said movable member, said movable member having a rigid head on its extremity larger than the opening in said bracket, and said movable member having opposed diverging surfaces terminating at said head, the space between said surfaces at said head being substantially greater than the normal space between said rollers.

2. A door check comprising a bracket and a member movable relative thereto through an opening therein, a pair of rollers rotatably mounted in said bracket, resilient means urging respective rollers into contact with opposite sides of said movable member, said movable member having a rigid head on its extremity larger than the opening in said bracket, said movable member having opposed diverging surfaces with the widest portion terminating at said head, and said movable member having opposed notches immediately adjacent the narrowest portion of the diverging surfaces.

3. A door check comprising a bracket and an arcuately bent rigid element movable relative thereto, resilient means in said bracket and engaging opposite sides of said rigid element, said rigid element having a portion of its length formed with outwardly diverging surfaces immediately adjacent one of its ends adapted to be engaged by said resilient means upon relative movement of said bracket and element, the length of said portion comprising a small fraction of the length of said rigid element, and said rigid element having a rigid head on said end at the widest part of said diverging portion and adapted to engage said bracket.

RAYMOND G. MOORE. 

